


Toy Story

by ladyofreylo



Series: Kinky Stories [9]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ben Sub, Bondage, F/M, Happily Ever After, Happy Ending, Light BDSM, Light Bondage, Light Dom/sub, Love Story, Orgasm Denial, Rey Soft Domme, Reylo - Freeform, Romance, light kink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:54:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25246459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyofreylo/pseuds/ladyofreylo
Summary: Dr. Benjamin Solo, sociologist, would like some hands-on research into the world of BDSM.  Gwen sends Rey (who knows next to nothing about being a Domme) to top Ben in a scene--for research.  She makes him her Toy for the evening.  Things go awry when he uncovers the truth--Rey has no idea what she's doing and she's invalidated his research.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: Kinky Stories [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1756246
Comments: 23
Kudos: 107





	Toy Story

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to jgoose13 and flavorofkylo for support and beta reading!

At lunch, Rey’s friend Gwen said, oh so casually, “There’s a guy—a scholarly-type—from your institution wanting to do some research on _Moonlight_.”

Rey stopped mid-slurp and put down her soup spoon. “No way! You’re going to let him enter the sacred domain of your BDSM club?”

Gwen smiled and nibbled a pickle. “Yeah, I don’t know yet. He wants to have a hands-on BDSM experience and write about it.”

Rey raised her brows. “Write about it, how?”

“He’s a sociologist based at City University. He says it’s a scholarly work, not an opinion piece or essay.” Gwen took a bite of her sandwich and chewed. She swallowed and added, “We don’t really want him to pierce the inner sanctum, if you know what I mean.”

“Tell him no,” Rey said, tearing off a piece of baguette.

“His family is a big donor at the University, and he knows Holdo.” Gwen wrinkled her nose. “His mother is calling in a favor.”

Dr. Amilyn Holdo, Ph.D., was head of the prestigious Department of Sociology and a secret long-time member of _Moonlight_. Gwen shouldn’t have leaked this information to Rey, but they’d been close since high school and old habits of sharing secrets were hard to break. It was clear Gwen wanted to talk about the situation.

“Holdo wants to allow it? Won’t she be exposed, too?” Rey asked, frowning.

“They already know she’s involved. I just don’t want the rest of us exposed to some random guy, scholar or no.” 

“Can’t he just observe?”

Gwen rolled her eyes. “Somehow that seems worse. No, he can’t be a voyeur while we do scenes.” She shuddered and chewed her sandwich meditatively. “Anyway, that’s not what his research is about. He claims he needs to participate. He’s calling it by some weird term. Ethno-something.”

“Ethnography?” Rey asked.

“Yeah, that’s it. He wants an immersive experience. And none of us real _Moonlight-_ ers wish to touch his ass with a ten-foot pole.”

“He’s trying to do overt research and active observation in a closed community. Wow. Brave and potentially biased all at the same time.” Rey toasted Gwen and sipped her drink. “Nice.”

“Well, you might not think so after I ask you to do something for me.” Gwen batted her lashes at Rey.

“I was kidding,” Rey said. She paused, horrorstruck. “No, you can’t be serious.”

“Pleath, pleath with sugar on top? I’ll pay you for your time.”

“That’s so unethical,” Rey said. “I’m not a member of your organization. I’m not representative of the culture he’s trying to study.”

“None of us want to be exposed in the name of research.”

“Therefore, you want to expose me?”

“Oh, what do you care?” Gwen said. “Listen, I’ll double your wage as an adjunct, if you do this for us.”

Rey was holding on by her fingernails as a part-time Level I instructor in the English Department—it paid poorly but gave her access to the university’s vast library of archives for her own research. She could definitely use the cash, if Gwen was willing to pay.

“How much do you want?” Gwen asked. “We’re desperate. Name a price.”

Rey chewed on it. “Will Holdo find out? I could be in the deepest of shit if she does.”

“I swear on the gods of bondage and discipline that she will not find out. Holdo doesn’t have a list of all the members. Only I have that information. Name your price, Rey. Help us out.”

“I’ll have to get back to you on that,” Rey said. She had some bills to pay. “Do you know what this guy wants?”

“A proper scene. He has to be a sub, though; he must be reactive, not proactive. No way can he run a scene.” Gwen smiled at Rey and took her arm.

“Neither can I. I have no idea…”

“Oh, just make it up. He’ll never know,” Gwen said.

“Now that’s really unethical.”

Gwen shrugged. “So the hell what? How does he have the right to come into our safe space and fool around?”

Rey couldn’t argue with that. “And you can’t say no?”

“Holdo wants us to do it, and she gives us money. So there it is.”

They both sighed. Gwen wiped her hands on a napkin.

“Think about it, Rey. This is perfect for you. Your research into tropes of romantic fiction will come in handy and you can do some playing with real life tropes.”

Rey rolled her eyes. “I work with bodies of literature, not bodies of … men.”

“Try something out on him, something from a novel maybe, and see what effect it has. Then you have some background on how a real man would handle it.”

“You mean, instead of a character that a writer made up?”

“Yep, that’s exactly what I mean.”

Rey pondered the possibility. “What’s his name?”

“Ben Solo. He’s worked with Holdo, and she trusts him.”

“She should do the damn scene, then,” Rey said. 

Gwen made a face. “Seriously, ugh, no. She’s his mother’s friend.”

“Do I have to fuck this guy?”

“Oh God no, not unless you want to. Do some sub play without sex.”

“What should I do? Look it up online?”

Gwen shrugged. “Get a safe word from him, a couple of hard limits, then do whatever. Fuck, have him pick up your dry cleaning and scrub your sink.”

Rey burst out laughing. “That’s a personal assistant, not a sub.”

“What the hell ever.”

<>

And, of course, since Rey needed the money, she said okay to Gwen’s idiot scheme.

Ben Solo. She looked him up online first and found a photo of a guy with dark hair, cut so it covered all but his earlobes, glasses, and a long nose. He wasn’t smiling and he looked a little angry. Resting bitch face.

A reconnaissance mission was in order. She checked the University’s dynamic online schedule and discovered that Ben Solo’s last class coincided with hers and met one floor above near the Department of Sociology’s main office, which also housed faculty offices.

After teaching her class, Rey climbed the flight of stairs and perched in a lounge area outside the office door. She should be able to see him leave.

Rey was in luck. She put her nose in her phone when she saw a tall man stride purposefully out of the office. She glanced up to see him walk by without a look in her direction. He was trim and fit, wore a suit and tie, and looked altogether grumpy—and a bit nerdy with rimless glasses and an old man briefcase.

 _He’s no sub_ , she thought.

She texted Gwen, who sent a shrug emoji back. _Make him do it anyway._

Gwen then sent Ben’s phone number. _Get ½ of your $ upfront if you call him._

Rey chewed her lip. _I’ll text him._

<>

Half the cash showed up in Rey’s Cash app account with a note that read: _Don’t let me down, I love you. Phasma_. It was bad news when Gwen used her _Moonlight_ name. It meant she trusted Rey to be a good friend and keep her secrets.

Rey texted Ben Solo. She called herself Kira, instead of Rey. She told him she was from _Moonlight_ (which she wasn’t) and would set up a scene for him (which she didn’t know how to do). She gave him a puppet email address Gwen had created specifically for this occasion. She asked him to email her a list of hard limits and a safe word.

He sent a thumbs-up back.

The email she received read:

_I’m your sub, I assume. Safe word: red. Hard limits: pain, shit, pee, blood, and electricity._

_No sex is fine, though a scene seems somewhat pointless without sex. I thought that was the whole purpose of BDSM. If I’m wrong, please enlighten me._

_Please don’t make me your assistant. It defeats the purpose of my study. Thanks._

He was a bit snotty for a sub, Rey thought. She wrote him back:

_Listen, Kitten, you better lose the attitude. Call me Miss Kira, or simply Miss. I will do with you whatever I like, including making you scrub my bathtub. Bail if you don’t like it._

Ben wrote back: _Got it, Miss Kira._

“Got it, indeed,” Rey showed the emails to Gwen, who howled with laughter.

“Okay, you have some work to do with this one,” Gwen said. “You should use his body as your toy and not let him come. That’s what I would do.”

“I can’t do that. What if he’s a yuck? He might not shower or he could be a Cyclops.”

Gwen perked up. “If he’s a Cyclops, let me know. I’d jump on that.”

“Shut up,” Rey said.

“If he’s stinky, make him shower,” Gwen said. “Get a toothbrush and make him brush his teeth. You’re in charge. Get some cologne and spray the motherfucker down. Then ride his tongue and get some orgasms.”

“Gawdddd,” Rey moaned. “No sex. None. Too weird.”

Gwen winked at her and gave her a box of supplies. “Here ya go.”

Rey started to dig through. “No, no,” Gwen said, giving her a nudge. “Take them home and mess with them.”

<>

Rey found an assortment of items that made her eyes widen. A set of silken ties in screaming pink, an unopened tube of red lipstick, honey dust and feather duster, edible oil, and a black blindfold. How would this stuff work if they weren’t going to have sex? She’d tie him up and pour oil on him? Draw pictures on his arms?

Made no sense to her.

She’d better think of something or else he was going to be cooking dinner and mopping the floor.

To be under someone’s total control and take in an experience—something unexpected.

It shouldn’t be about making someone do a chore. That wasn’t what he was looking for.

It was about him not knowing what to expect and her treating him to that experience.

She laid out the blindfold. That would have to be the first step. He needed to shed his control. He needed to sit blindfolded—or kneel.

Rey started to think of ideas.

<>

Gwen wouldn’t allow Rey to go anywhere near _Moonlight_. Rey didn’t even know where it was located. Gwen gave Rey a prepaid credit card for a room at the prestigious Chandrila Hotel downtown. The room was opulent and huge. Rey showed up with a bag of supplies. 

She had a moment of doubt—what was she doing here? She wondered if she could pull off being a Domme. She’d done a bit of reading and it all seemed so weird and unfamiliar—like she was playing a role she knew nothing about. She veered between that idea and being interested in providing someone with a new experience. 

Rey thought about the nerdy guy in glasses being submissive and taking notes. She pushed away the memory of the tall guy striding purposefully through the halls of the academic building, acting like he owned the place.

She took a deep breath and let it out again. She had a plan. 

_Ethnography, my ass_ , she thought. She’d give him something to write about.

<>

The knock on the hotel door scared the living shit out of Rey. Her palms were sweaty and her mouth was very dry. She swallowed hard.

She opened the door to see a tall, tall man standing on the other side, wearing a pair of jeans and a button-down shirt with a tie. Up close, he was a geeky-looking guy with pale skin, a pair of ears that stuck out under thick wavy hair, and rimless glasses. His lips were full and his nose rather bold.

Rey stared at him for a second trying to process how she was going to do this. He was a lot bigger than she.

She stuck out her hand, not knowing what else to do.

“Kira?” he questioned when he took it.

“Miss Kira,” she corrected.

He nodded and hoisted his laptop case on his shoulder. He strode in, dropped the case on the table, and efficiently booted up his computer.

Rey watched him curiously. She didn’t even know how to begin this scene. It seemed more like an interview.

“Um,” she said.

He looked up expectantly.

“Aren’t we supposed to… you know…” She trailed off.

“Uh, sure, sure. I’m just setting this up to take notes.”

Rey wondered if he realized that he would be tied up and unavailable to take notes.

“Also, I need you to sign the Human Subjects Review Informed Consent form, please.” He pulled out a packet of papers and a pen.

Rey swallowed hard and looked over the pages, which outlined the purpose of the research and its goals, a list of hard and soft limits, a paragraph stating that no benefits to _Moonlight_ were expected based on the research, and a statement detailing how Dr. Benjamin Solo (Principal Investigator) planned to keep the information confidential. The final paragraph requested consent from “Kira.”

Rey signed the document. She’d seen those consent forms before though had never done research that required one. Her signature would be filed with the Human Subjects Review Board at the University. She realized that Gwen didn’t understand how research projects worked. _Moonlight_ participants would have been protected. Gwen’s subterfuge was completely unnecessary.

But they were in the thick it of now—and Rey wouldn’t get paid if she called off the meeting.

Ben placed the document in his briefcase and looked at Rey expectantly.

“When would you like to start the scene?” she asked, then bit her lip because she shouldn’t be asking if she was in control.

“Anytime,” he said. He clicked around on the mousepad and then typed a few things into a document.

“All right,” Rey said. She walked to the large couch where she planned to do most of the sensation work.

He looked at her. “Over there?”

“Yes.”

He glanced back toward the bedroom suite. “Not in bed?”

Rey stared at him for a moment. “You want sex? I was under the impression…”

“We don’t have to have sex. The bed seems the best place to...” He waved his hand.

Rey nodded. She dearly wished she hadn’t signed up for this.

He stood, assessing her, hands on hips.

She chewed her lip. “All right.” She grabbed her bag of supplies and walked to the bedroom. Ben trailed after her.

“We’re starting,” she tossed over her shoulder. “You must call me Miss. I will call you…”

“Ben,” he said.

Rey raised her eyebrows. “Excuse me?”

“Not Ben?”

He was starting to piss her off. “Any fucking thing I please,” she answered. She paused. “Nerd-boy.”

His mouth dropped open. Rey gave him a level gaze. “Like to back out?”

“No,” he said.

Rey might be able to get into this dynamic—it was kind of fun to order this big man around. She pointed at the bed. “Okay. Glasses, shoes, shirt—off.”

He began to comply. Rey stopped him. “When I give you a command, you have to say ‘Yes, Miss.’”

“Yes, Miss,” he said, pulling off his button-down and kicking off his shoes.

Rey swallowed hard. Nerd-boy was ripped. He had a six—no, an eight—pack under that shirt. He had muscular arms, too.

Shit. He was fucking gorgeous.

“Sit,” she said and waited.

He sat on the edge of the bed. 

She reached out and smacked his head.

“Ow,” he said and tried to grab her hand. She snatched it away.

“Say, ‘Yes, Miss,’” she said. “And no grabbing or I will punish you.”

He stared at her with wide eyes. “What the fuck?”

“Are you my sub or not?”

“You can hit me?”

“Say your safe word and I won’t. We can end the scene right now. Where are you right now? Green, yellow, red?”

He looked at her. “Uh, yellow.”

“Yellow, what?”

“Yellow, Miss.”

“All right. Why? What’s happening?”

Ben pursed his lips. “I’m not used to being ordered around and saying ‘yes, Miss’ to someone.”

Rey sat next to him. “Okay, maybe you want to make some notes and leave. That’s the way submissives have to act. I thought you said you did some research.”

He gave her the side eye. “Yeah, but…”

“Did you think you were going to be the Dom?”

He shook his head. “No, but I didn’t think I was going to be humiliated.”

Rey smacked her hands on her thighs. “Well, it was nice meeting you, Ben. Let’s call a halt to this whole thing.”

He held up a hand. “No, no. I want to continue. Can you do it without the humiliation?”

“Nerd-boy triggering you?” Rey asked.

“Honestly, yes.”

“Do you have a name in mind?” Rey asked.

“Ben,” he answered.

“No, that’s not enough,” Rey said. “It’s about getting into a different headspace than regular old Ben. It’s about relinquishing control to me. I call you whatever I please and you submit to it.”

Ben looked at Rey long and hard. “I’m not going to be a good sub.”

Rey shrugged. “Fine. Let’s try something else before we give up. Come up with a name that isn’t humiliating for you.” She paused. “Thing, slave, servant, toy, pet, bunny, little one, kitten…”

“Toy,” he said.

“Fucktoy,” Rey added.

Ben laughed out loud. “I love it. Fucktoy.”

“How am I supposed to say that with a straight face?” Rey asked, giggling.

He grinned at her. “That’s your problem, Miss.”

“Shall we begin again, Fucktoy?” Rey smiled.

“Yes, Miss.” He continued to chuckle.

Rey grabbed a silky pink ribbon from her bag. “Hands behind your back.”

Ben hesitated for a moment, then complied. “Yes, Miss.” Rey tied his handsd with the ribbon. It was symbolic only. He could get free if he chose to do so.

Rey plucked the blindfold out of the bag. She heard his swift intake of breath. “It’s part of the deal. You don’t know what I’m going to do,” she said. She crawled behind him and tied it over his eyes. His hair felt soft under her fingers.

“Toy, how do you feel now? Green, Yellow, Red?”

“Yellow.”

“Why?”

“This is a new experience. I’m unsure.”

Rey smiled. “Good,” she said. “Don’t forget to call me Miss. Next time you forget, I will punish you.”

“How, uh, Miss?”

Rey reached out and touched his long, lean jaw. “Let’s hope you don’t forget.”

He sucked in another breath.

Rey collected her cup and went to the ice bucket. She grabbed a few of the smaller cubes with a pair of tongs and carried the cup and ice back to the bed.

“Open your mouth, Toy,” Rey commanded.

He swallowed visibly and slowly opened his lips. He had forgotten to say ‘yes, Miss,’ but she let it slide. She could sense his trepidation and that was enough for her.

She lifted a cube with the tongs and slipped it over Ben’s lips. He jumped a little and sucked the cube in.

Rey lifted a cube. “Lie down, Toy,” she said. “Say, ‘yes Miss.’”

“Yes, Miss.” His voice wavered and he hesitated for a fraction of a second. Then he lay back.

Rey dripped icy water on his chest. He made a noise. She dropped the cube on him, and he shot up with a howl.

“That’s fucking cold,” he said, pulling his hands free from the ribbon. The cube skittered across the bed where he tossed it.

Rey laughed. “You’re not supposed to do that.” She should’ve been stern with him, but his expression was so outraged that she had to giggle.

“You dropped ice on my chest,” he said.

“What’s your status, Toy? Red, yellow, green.”

He pressed his lips together. “Green,” he said. “Now that the ice is gone.”

Rey said, “Toy, you need to control yourself better. Kneel. Hands behind your back. Say, ‘yes, Miss.’”

He knelt. “Yes, Miss.”

Rey re-tied the ribbon and picked up another ice cube. “Use your safe word if it’s too much.” She slid the ice up and down his back, while he shifted. “Stay still,” she said and smacked his arm as hard as she could. He flinched but didn’t stop her.

Rey ran the cube around the back of his neck and under his chin. She slipped it down his chest again, while he breathed. She swirled the ice around Ben’s nipples and enjoyed the sight of his pecs flexing. He sucked in his breath.

Rey dropped the ice back into the cup. She left Ben kneeling and did nothing.

He began shifting uncomfortably after a few minutes. Rey pinched him. “Stop moving, Toy.”

He bit his lip.

“Let the discomfort take you to a new space. Let it get you out of whatever headspace you’re in right now.” Rey sat and crossed her legs in front of him. She scratched him lightly down his arms, his chest, and crawled around to scratch his back. He moaned.

“Toy, do you feel the pain in your legs mix with the pleasure of the scratching?” Rey asked softly.

He nodded. “Yes, Miss.”

She dug her nails into his arms, then stroked them. “The different sensations can shift your reality. Hurt, then pleasure. Different flavors.”

She smacked his back with greater and lesser intensity, then moved to his arm, then his chest, finally to his face. She hit him lightly on the cheek, then added more of a snap, then tried to leave a mark. 

He hissed but said nothing else. She smoothed the spot with her hand and ran her fingers up and over his scalp, gently rubbing it, lightly pulling his hair. Again, she repeated the process of light pulls moving up to a strong yank at the back of his hair. His head snapped back and a growl escaped him.

But he didn’t protest further.

“Good toy,” Rey crooned in his big ear. “You’re a good, good toy.” 

She saw the ghost of a smile chase over his features.

She stroked a finger over each ear and marveled at how they stuck out. He must have gotten teased about them. She guessed that’s why he wore his hair longer. She tucked the hair behind his ears and gazed at him. He didn’t look bad. The ears were cute and matched his long nose and full lips. Seemingly nothing about this man was small—Rey considered the possibilities in that idea. She pulled up his blindfold and looked at his face. She found his features interesting, more than simply attractive; they were compelling, vital, masculine.

He opened his mouth to say something. 

Rey pinched his ear. “No talking,” she said. She pulled his blindfold back down. He huffed in disgust and she ignored his wordless protest.

She grabbed the tube of red lipstick and a small leather paddle from her bag.

“Toy, I’m going to mark you as mine. You’re my plaything. After I’m finished, you’ll wear these marks as a reminder. You are mine.”

Rey painted the red lipstick on her lips. She leaned in and pressed kiss after kiss to her toy’s face, covering him with red lip prints. She skipped his lips, though she saw they were parted, and his breath was warm and minty. She wasn’t here to kiss him but to mark him.

She raised the paddle and smacked his bicep—hard. He yelped. It left a red mark. “Red,” he said. “Fucking red. What the fuck was that?”

Rey put the paddle down. “I’m marking you.”

“Lips are fine. No hitting, please.” He blew out a breath and shook his head.

“You’ll have a lot to write about, my Toy,” Rey said. “Do we need to conclude?”

He shook his head. “More kisses, more sweetness, more softness. I’ll be your toy if you play with me gently.”

“Soft Domme, then,” Rey murmured in his ear. She reapplied the lipstick and pressed as many kisses on him as she could, leaving lip-prints down his arms and back. He tasted like salt in her mouth. He smelled like spice and soap.

“Don’t skip any parts,” he breathed. “Mark me as yours, Miss.”

Once again, Rey painted her lips red and worked her way across his sternum, listening to his breathing increase. He was turned on; she noted the bulge in his jeans. He leaned back further on his heels to allow her more access. He must have been uncomfortable with his hands behind his back and his legs under him like that, but he didn’t complain.

Rey gently pressed kisses down his torso, skipping his nipples. She imagined that he would have grabbed her head and brought her back up to those. This wasn’t a sexual encounter, though she could make it so with almost no effort. She could unbuckle his belt, unzip his jeans, and pop his dick out. She considered it. He was quite delicious everywhere else she had mouthed him.

But she knew nothing about him… and sex was not on the table.

She kissed her way back upward to his nipples and thought about taking them into her mouth. She hovered over one and breathed on it. She blew a soft stream of air on it.

Her toy made a strangled noise. “God, baby, do it. Do it. Take it in your sweet mouth.”

She pinched it instead. “Call me Miss,” she said.

He sucked in a breath and moved his shoulders. “Miss. Please.”

Rey ran her fingertips over the sensitive nubs while he crooned at her. She wondered if he was lost in the moment—if he was her sub now. She felt a rush of excitement down in her belly. She wanted to push it further…

“Say Green if you want more,” she whispered.

“More. Green. Miss…” he muttered, dipping his head.

She bent and sucked his nipple into her mouth, and he tried to raise his hands. He couldn’t. He shifted. “I need to touch you…. God. Miss, please.”

“No,” she whispered and suckled the other nipple. He tasted incredible to her. She wanted more from him. Maybe taste him everywhere. But, again, that was not the deal they had made.

Gwen said that Rey could fuck this man if she wanted to. She didn’t know, though, if she should. It felt an awful lot like taking money for sex.

Rey straightened up at that thought. She was wet with desire for this beautiful man. She took a shaky breath. Then she nudged him a bit.

“We are finished, Ben.” Rey took the blindfold off his eyes and untied the ribbon.

He tried to rise but his legs were asleep. Rey scooted down to the floor where he sat against the bed. She massaged one leg, rubbing life back into it. Then she moved around to the other side to do the same. He leaned back on the bed, eyes closed, hair mussed.

His body was covered with red lipstick marks. Hers. Her toy.

She continued to massage him. Finally, she looked up and saw his eyes were open. He was watching her with an unreadable expression.

She cleared her throat. “I hope you got some information for your article,” she said. “I’m going to leave you here to clean up.”

He looked down at the red lipstick marks that peppered his body, then back at Rey. “Hey,” he said.

“Yes?”

“I don’t know. Just, uh, hey.” He reached out a hand toward Rey. 

She took it. If he needed contact, then she was willing to hold his hand. “How do you feel?”

He twined his fingers in hers and stared off into space. “Strange. Relaxed. Like I had sex.” He shifted to look at her. “What happened?”

Rey shrugged. “You let go. You got out of your head for a while and let someone else take control.”

He closed his eyes and leaned his head back. “Yes.”

“And we didn’t even get to the little feather duster.” Rey fished in her bag and came up with a tiny grouping of delicate feathers bunched together and bound at the base.

Ben opened his eyes, sat up and took it from her. “What’s this for?” He ran it over his hand. “Oh, it tickles,” he said.

“Yes.” Rey smiled at him. “I’ve heard it’s a great tool for tickling and stimulating sensitive places.”

He tilted his head to one side, still playing with the feathers. “You’ve never used it before?”

“Uh, no,” Rey said. “That is to say… Not personally. But I hear…”

“It’s in your bag,” he said.

Rey pressed her lips together.

He stared at her, comprehension dawning in his eyes. “You don’t have a clue what you’re doing, do you?”

Rey started to protest.

“No,” he stopped her, hand raised. “Phasma set me up with a decoy. Goddammit. You’re not a Domme at all. You don’t know the first thing about it.” He pulled his hand away and raked it through his short hair. “Fuck.”

Rey scrambled to her feet. “I’m just doing it for the cash.” She gathered up the bag, snatched the duster from his hand, and stuffed it inside. “I have to go. You should clean up. Good luck with your research.”

She made it halfway to the door before he followed, shouting. “It’s useless now. The whole thing is useless. I can’t write it based on lies. You and Phasma owe me.”

He sounded angry and Rey didn’t want to stick around to see what he would do. She didn’t look behind her; she ran out of the room as fast as she could. She figured she didn’t even need the room key, just her shoes and her bag and she was gone.

She hit the elevator button and when it didn’t open, she grabbed the stairwell door handle, yanked it, and ran down the stairs, all five stories, to get to her car. She tried opening her car door, but it wouldn’t budge. She dug in her purse to see if her keys were there. They were not.

She closed her eyes and saw them by the bed—on the floor—where she had dropped them to find the feathers.

She was going to have to go back up there—or take a cab home. Then she’d have to get the manager to let her into her apartment. Rey groaned.

If she went back, she faced Ben’s anger at being duped. She considered herself a brave person. Usually. She stood by her car and debated.

He was her sub, dammit.

She slowly climbed back up the stairs. Was he even in the room anymore? She figured he had to be. He was covered in red lipstick and likely didn’t want to go outside looking like he’d been mugged by a mad kisser.

She knocked lightly and waited. She heard someone pad to the door. It swung open and a big hand grabbed her arm. Ben pulled her inside, looking like a thundercloud—still covered in red lip prints.

He didn’t look quite so nerdy when angry—with his brows snapped together. His full lips were tight, pressed together, his jaw clenched, and his eyes flashed behind his glasses. He was seriously pissed.

“You’re back.”

Rey sidled around him. “Left my keys in the bedroom.”

“You’d better hurry up and get them.” His voice was dark.

She stood stock still like a deer in the headlights. He was her sub, though at the moment, she couldn’t imagine it. “Or else?”

He snorted. “Just get them before I change my mind.”

Rey took a step toward him. “Excuse me, why’re you mad at me? I’m just here doing my job.”

“Which you’re completely unqualified for. I called Phasma and made her confess.” Ben stalked around to the computer.

Rey bit her lip as she watched him.

He stopped and looked directly at her. His frown got deeper, and he crossed his arms over his chest. She kept an eye on him as she slipped into the other room to look for her keys. She got down on her hands and knees to fish around under the bed.

She heard him clear his throat and looked around, one hand on the keys. He was staring at her ass, which, she had to admit, was hoisted into the air.

She straightened up quickly and banged her shoulder on the bed frame. She cried out and held it.

Her fucking sub stood there, branded with lipstick, watching.

She scrambled up. “I have my keys. I’ll see myself out. Have a nice day.” She swept past him.

He reached out one long arm and caught her. He pulled her close to him. “You owe me, Kira.”

Rey smiled at him and patted his lipsticked cheek. “There is no Kira.” She pulled away from him, took one last look at his patterned face, and walked out the door.

<>

Rey called Gwen and told her what happened.

Gwen sighed heavily over the phone. “He called me. It’s all right. It can’t be helped.” She clicked her tongue. “Will you help me? He’s not going to like what I’m planning.”

“What do you mean?”

“He wants a real scene, and I’m going to give it to him.”

“Holy shit,” Rey said.

<>

Rey debated. She should tell Ben what was going to happen, maybe warn him about what Gwen was going to offer. Rey again waited for him to leave his office after class, but instead of hiding in her phone, she walked up to him.

The look on his face shifted from grumpy to downright pissed off. His eyebrows shot up.

“You,” he said through gritted teeth.

“Look, I need to talk to you,” Rey said.

“No thanks,” Ben replied. He walked toward the stairs and yanked open the fire doors. Rey was on his heels.

“Phasma told me you talked to her. I know what she’s going to do.”

He danced down the stairs. Rey’s high heels didn’t allow her to do the same—she was dressed for teaching not leaping down stairs. She would fall if she went too quickly.

“Dammit, Toy, wait up.”

He turned suddenly. “Don’t ever, _ever_ call me that again.”

She whooshed out a breath. “Then stop rushing and let me talk to you.”

He stopped mid-step and groaned. “Fuck, I need a drink,” he said. “Want to grab one?”

<>

Rey sat across from Ben at a small table at the faculty bar. Students rarely went into _Churchill’s_ , preferring to go to _Raspberries_ on the other side of campus. Ben and Rey almost had the place to themselves. Rey took an experimental sip of her gin and tonic that Ben had insisted upon paying for.

He pinched his nose under his glasses. “Tell me,” he said.

A man of few words.

“Phasma’s going to do a real scene with you. Not a bullshit one like I did.”

He sipped his whiskey on the rocks. “So? That’s what I wanted in the first place. I don’t know why we had to perform that ridiculous lipstick and ice exercise.”

Rey bristled. She’d done the best she could. “You don’t know what you’re in for,” she said through gritted teeth. “I’m warning you. It’s going to be real. Better have that safe word at the ready.”

He shrugged.

“Listen, Toy,” Rey said.

He narrowed his eyes at her and hissed, “Stop it.”

Rey ignored him. “She’s going to test your limits for humiliation, for pain, the works. You could barely deal with what I did. Which was nothing in comparison.” She paused. “Also, you know she’s a lesbian and won’t fuck you, right?”

“You didn’t fuck me either,” he noted.

It hung there in the air between them. Rey swallowed. He watched her closely.

“I would’ve done it,” he murmured. “You know that.”

Rey dropped her eyes. “I was paid to do the scene.”

“Ah,” he said. “That explains a lot. Why?”

“Because Gw…Phasma’s a good friend. And I could use the cash.”

The ice in his glass clinked. “What do you do for a living, Kira?”

Rey smiled widely. “I don’t want to tell you that, Mr. Solo. Like I’m not going to tell you my real name, either.”

He tilted his head to one side. “Keep your secrets, then, Miss. And it’s Dr. Solo. Not that it matters that much at this point. I have a feeling you’re going to call me ‘Toy’ from now on.” 

She burst out laughing. “I’ll tell you what, Dr. Solo. I’ll reserve your sub name for scenes.”

“Whew,” he said, pretending to mop his brow, “I’m in luck, then.”

Rey reached out and put her hand on his arm. “Really, don’t do the scene with Phasma. Or at least be prepared. She’ll dole out the full treatment.”

He covered her hand with his. “It’s what I was looking for in the first place.”

She looked into his eyes. “I want to wait in the lobby. Phasma will text me for aftercare. I volunteer to help you come out of it.”

“I believe that’s her job,” he said.

“I know,” Rey agreed. “But you’re…” She bit off the rest of the statement. How could she explain to him that he was hers. And that she felt responsible for his well-being.

She knew from Gwen’s off-handed remarks that things got rough in her scenes sometimes. She was a good Domme but she took subs to their limit.

He gazed at her and then squeezed her hand. “Thank you,” he said. 

A waiter strolled by and offered them menus. Ben asked Rey if she wanted to stay for dinner. She agreed.

As they ate, she asked him about his research and what he planned to do with his study. It turned out that his studies dovetailed nicely with her interests.

Ben’s face lost the tense look as he talked. “The larger topic has to do with male sexuality. My current interest is the idea of men being subject to women. I’m looking at how men experience and react to a strong woman. In effect, being a sub to a Domme.” He chewed a bite of chicken piccata before continuing. “It doesn’t have to be a BDSM relationship or encounter, though. My interest is broader. It’s about women knowing what they want and going for it—and how heterosexual men, especially those raised to be more dominant—deal with it.”

“It is a change in the culture that’s been a long time evolving,” Rey said. “I’ve noted that some older women—in their 40s and 50s—claim that some older men pay little attention to their needs. One recent Facebook post asking women what they were thinking about in bed with their men showed that ‘hurry the fuck up’ was the primary response.”

Ben raised his brows. “Really?”

Rey nodded and speared a mushroom. She waved it around to make her point. “It’s anecdotal, of course, and perhaps only those with gripes feel moved to respond. But I did find it interesting.”

“And younger women? What’s your impression of that population?”

Rey looked Ben dead in the eye and pointed with her mushroom. “We’ll whoop your ass if you don’t do the fucking job right.”

He grinned suddenly. “I imagine the older group would do the same. The poll didn’t ask what they did about it, just what they were thinking.”

Rey stared at his smile. His eyes were bright and lively behind his glasses and his whole face was transformed when he smiled. Her mouth hung open. She snapped it shut and hoped he didn’t notice.

She also forgot what she was saying.

<>

Ben paid the check and walked out with Rey into the dark street. They both headed for the faculty lot together. Rey beeped her car before realizing that she’d given Ben a clue as to her identity.

He said nothing but escorted her to the car and opened the door for her. She put her bag onto the seat next to her and looked up at Ben’s impassive face.

“Well, thanks for dinner,” she said.

He nodded at her. “You’re welcome.”

She wondered if she should comment on her parking situation—the faculty sticker hung from her rearview mirror. “Uh,” she said.

“Hey, be careful about your relationship with _Moonlight_ participants. Some faculty and administrators aren’t open-minded. You’re not well protected as an adjunct, especially in English.”

Rey stared at him. “How did you figure it out? You were asking me what I did for a living in there.”

He shrugged. “Just checking to see how much you trust me. Look, I’m a researcher. If I can figure out who you are, others can, too. I have tenure and no one gives a shit what I do.”

“Huh, you also have family.”

He nodded and stared off into space. “For better or worse.” He paused for a second, gathering his thoughts. “You could be fired, Rey. Be careful. Don’t show up to my scene with Gwen. I can handle it.”

He knew everything, Rey realized. All Gwen’s subterfuge was for nothing.

“I’ll be careful,” she said, and tiptoed up to give him a hug. The thought that he was hers, her sub, her toy, floated through her head once again.

He pulled her close to him, his warmth seeping into her. He looked down at her, streetlights glinting off his glasses. His hand cupped the side of her face and his thumb touched the edge of her mouth. She thought he was going to kiss her as he stared at her lips.

Then he looked around as he heard laughter and footsteps. He let her go.

<>

Gwen told Rey when she planned to meet with Ben Solo. Rey sat in the lobby of the Chandrila, pretending to look at her phone. Instead, she sat, waiting and wondering. She’d nodded at Gwen when she walked by and received a salute. Now she waited for Ben. She wondered if she should hide in her phone or let him know she was here.

The choice was taken from her when he walked through the lobby before she had a chance to even pick up her phone.

He’d seen her at the last moment before stepping out of sight. He walked over to her.

“Hi,” she said.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” he answered.

“Tough shit,” she said. “If you need me, I’m here.”

He looked around and snorted.

“Do you have your safe word?” Rey asked, rather unnecessarily.

Ben gave her a half smile. “Of course. But you don’t have to take care of me, sweetheart. I’ve got this.”

Rey gazed at him. “You’re a sub. Lose the attitude or she’ll make you lose it.”

“We’ll see,” he said.

And Rey wondered if he would fight Gwen. If he would not submit but take over the scene and win. She hadn’t thought about that possibility. He gave her a small smile.

“Be back in a while.” And he left, hands in his pockets.

<>

Rey waited, unable to focus on anything. Her phone pinged with messages from students and announcements. She tried to look at social media and couldn’t concentrate.

Fifteen minutes later, Rey’s phone buzzed and she jumped a mile. It was Gwen. Rey answered.

“Come and get your fucking sub,” Gwen said and hung up.

Rey took the stairs.

She banged on the door of the room. Gwen opened it and growled at Rey as she stomped out. “He’s in there. I’m done with him.”

“Why? What happened?” Rey asked.

“Tried to take over the scene. He’s not a fucking sub on any level.” Gwen glared at Ben who casually strolled out of the bedroom. “He’s a Dom.”

“See ya, Gwen,” Ben called.

Gwen bared her teeth at Ben. “Fuck you, Solo.”

“Yeah, doubt that’s going to happen.”

Gwen slammed the door.

Rey stared at Ben. “What the hell? I thought you wanted to try it.”

He raised his hands. “So did I, but honestly. I can’t. Just can’t do it.”

“Are you a Dom?” Rey asked.

Ben sighed. “Oh, I don’t know. I might just be a regular guy who wants vanilla encounters.”

“You liked being a sub with me.” Rey put her hands on her hips.

“Probably because you don’t know what you’re doing.”

“Gee, thanks a lot.”’

They stood looking at each other.

Ben ran a hand through his hair. “Well, I guess…”

Rey interrupted. “What’re you going to do about your research, Ben? Wasn’t this experience supposed to be part of it?”

He blew out a breath. “Yes, but it’s not working out. I’ll have to do something different.”

“Would you…” Rey stopped. “Never mind.”

He looked at her. “What?”

Rey pressed her lips together. She shook her head. “No, never mind.”

Ben came closer and put his hands on her shoulders. “Tell me, please.”

“If I learned more about it, would you want to try again? You can trust me,” Rey blurted. “I would do it without humiliation, without pain. Just take you into a place of surrender to sensation, surrender to the feminine. You know more now about what to expect. I can also learn more about being a Domme and do a better job.”

Ben gazed at her without speaking.

“Isn’t that what you’re looking for in your research? To explore relinquishing control in a sexual encounter?”

He squeezed her shoulders gently and ran his hands up and down her arms. “That sounds about right,” he said.

“You can’t surrender without trust, Ben.”

He nodded. “Yeah, that element has been missing. I don’t trust easily.”

“Nor do I,” Rey whispered. “I understand.” Rey caught his hands in hers.

He pulled her in and wound her arms around his neck. “I’d love to kiss you,” he said softly.

Rey raised up on tiptoes and pressed herself against him. He was hers. He dipped his head and caught her lips. He slanted his mouth over hers and she growled low as he slipped his tongue between her lips. He lifted her easily and carried her into the bedroom. He laid her on the bed and crawled beside her.

“You want me to top you?” Rey asked, touching his face gently. “I didn’t do any research on it.”

“You’ll do fine,” Ben said. “I’ll be your toy again.”

“With sex this time.” She smiled at him.

“Yeah,” he said.

Ben dropped his glasses on the side table and stripped down to nothing in front of Rey’s eyes. He showed her where Gwen had marked him before he stopped the scene. His legs and ass had red welts all up and down where she had paddled him. Rey dug lotion out of her bag and rubbed it into his skin.

Ben almost purred under Rey’s touch.

“Ice,” she said.

“Yes,” he agreed.

Rey retrieved the ice bucket and the key. She ran down the hall to get a scoop of ice and returned to plop some cubes in a glass.

He lay on the bed, on his stomach, with arms above his head. He had his tie in his hands.

“I need you to tie this,” he said, meeting her eyes.

Rey tied his wrists quickly. “I don’t have a blindfold.”

“I’ll close my eyes until you tell me to open them, Miss,” he murmured.

“Toy, keep your eyes closed until I tell you otherwise,” Rey said softly.

“Yes, Miss.”

Rey squeezed the ice cube in her hand and dripped ice water up and down Ben’s back. He sucked in his breath but didn’t stop her. She slid a cube down his spine. He twitched away from the cold.

“Stop moving, Toy. This will help you,” she said sternly.

“Yes, Miss,” he whispered.

She ran the ice down further, over the reddened areas, using her palm to glide it. Then she slipped a new cube in the cleft between his cheeks. He jumped.

She smacked him on his hip away from the red. “Stop moving, Toy, or you’ll miss what comes next.”

He groaned as she ran the cube up and down between his legs. He shuddered, trying to control his movements.

Rey rewarded him. She moved the cube and left it on his lower back. Then she bent down and licked a trail from the cube downward and touched where the ice cube had been. She licked him gently, lightly, between his legs, while he cried out and gripped the bedclothes.

“I… God, Rey…” He was beside himself.

“Miss,” she murmured and went back to licking him.

“I need to come,” he gasped.

“Shut up,” Rey said lightly.

“Yes, Miss.”

The ice had melted into a puddle on Ben’s back, so she wiped her hand over it.

“Roll over, Toy,” she commanded.

He did so and blinked at her with glazed eyes.

Rey touched his face. “Sit up on the edge of the bed. And close your eyes. 

He complied.

“Now you will touch me with your tongue only.” She pulled off her leggings and panties. She climbed up on him and let him feel the warmth of her cunt near his nose. He pulled on the tie.

“Touch. You. Miss.”

“No,” she said. “Lick only.”

Rey moved herself toward him and he opened his mouth to taste her, his tongue flicking out. It touched her clit just right. She moaned loudly. He continued to lick her as she moved in closer and used his mouth to pleasure herself. He was inventive, flicking gently, then using his tongue flat against her wet cunt, then sucking. 

She could barely stand, her legs were trying to give way as she came. Suddenly, his arms were around her waist, holding her upright as the orgasm ripped through her. His mouth stayed with her as he pulled her close.

He moved his lips upward, kissing her belly, and ripping her shirt off her.

“Toy,” she said. “No taking over.”

He growled and dropped his hands. He squinted his eyes. “I’m not used…”

“No one said you could talk. Close your eyes and feel. Be in the moment.” She swatted his forearm. “Such a bad Toy.

Ben gritted his teeth. “Not good at this.”

“Shut up,” she said, looking into his eyes. “You’re going to ruin it. Stop overthinking, lie back down, and close your eyes. Don’t move. Don’t speak. In fact, no noise at all.”

“What’re you going to do to me if I don’t comply?” His lips quirked.

“It’s what I’m not going to do to you,” Rey answered. “You don’t get to come until I say so. I’ll make you eat me out and then we’ll be done. You’ll be leaving here with a raging hard-on and nowhere to go with it.” She paused and looked into his eyes. “But if you’re a good toy, I’ll suck you off or let you come inside me. Your choice.”

He raised his eyebrows and contemplated Rey’s face. “I just have to close my eyes, shut the fuck up, and let you do things to me?”

“Yeah,” she said.

“Deal.”

She knocked him back on the bed and retied his hands. She spread his legs wide and dug the tiny feather duster out of her bag where it had been forgotten.

She watched him press his lips together to keep from asking what was going on.

Then she started to feather dust him. His neck, his underarms, nipples, down his taut belly, over his soft happy trail… His dick twitched and she heard bit-off moans. The places with hair seemed the most sensitive to feathers, so Rey ran the duster down Ben’s legs. She crawled down and ran it over his feet. He jerked and yelped a little when she ran it between his toes.

She smacked the tops of his feet smartly. “No noise, Toy,” she warned. “If you make another one, it’ll take longer to get to your orgasm. I’ll hold out on you further, bad toy.”

Rey slipped the duster up his inner thighs. He had moved his legs out of position, so she pushed his knees up so he was spread open to her.

She watched his dick bounce on his belly. She ran the duster between his legs, over his balls, and up to his thick cock.

He reared back and lifted his hips slightly. 

Rey replaced the feather with her mouth and sucked him inside. His breathing intensified as she sucked him like a popsicle and ran her tongue over the smooth head of his dick, underneath along the veins and up over the top shaft. He twitched when she shoved him in as far as she could and suctioned him. She opened her jaw and breathed through her nose to push him in farther.

He was beginning to thrash a little, snorting with the effort of keeping the moans in.

Rey sucked harder and faster. She felt the build-up and knew he was going to come when he stiffened. He shot inside her mouth quietly, never making a noise.

She swallowed it and popped him out of her mouth. She crawled up and untied his hands.

He lay blinking and groaning. He turned his head to look at her. “You were going to let me choose.”

“You seemed happy,” she said, smiling.

He growled and rolled her over, pinning her underneath him.

She squeaked a little.

“I wanted to be inside you,” he complained, placing his nose on hers. “And I wanted to make you come on my dick.”

“Too bad for you,” Rey said merrily. “I’m the top and what I say goes.”

“I want to top you,” Ben said, suddenly. “I want to make you beg, too. I want to try it.”

Rey stared at him. “That defeats the purpose of your research.”

“Oh, baby girl, this wouldn’t be research.” He kissed her face and nuzzled her neck. “This is just for me.”

“Are you thinking you’re a Dom?”

He sat up suddenly. “Who the fuck knows? Do we have to name it? Can’t we just have fun playing games?”

“Sure,” Rey said. “I don’t see why not.”

He jumped off the bed and retrieved his pants. “If you give me some time, we can do it all over again.”

Rey sat on the edge of the bed. “You want to hang out?”

“Yeah,” he said, getting dressed.

Rey began to put her clothes on.

<>

They grabbed a couple of hand-tossed pizzas and took them back to Ben’s place. He booted up his laptop while they munched and showed Rey his research.

“I’ve concluded that it’s difficult for alpha men—at least the straight ones—to let go. It’s not how heterosexual men were raised nor how we experience pleasure.”

“I didn’t take you out of your headspace?”

He shook his head and swallowed a bite of pizza. “No, you did. You made it work for me. But afterward all I could think about was doing the same to you, for you.” He reached out and touched her cheek. “I still want to. I want to take you where you took me. Lay you out like a goddess and pleasure you. It’d be my privilege to do that.”

Rey’s mouth went dry and she took a sip of wine. “I could’ve made you do that.”

“It wasn’t the dynamic. You were pleasuring me.”

“Yes.”

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing from him, though. “The men I’ve known, though, don’t think like you do. Based on a lot of research I’ve read, men can be real boors in bed.”

He huffed a laugh. “Don’t sleep with good-looking guys. Us ugly guys got it going on. We have to make our women goddesses or they’ll run off.”

Rey touched Ben’s arm. “You’re sexy as fuck. Who told you that you weren’t good looking?”

He raised his brows. “I’ve got a mirror. I’ve lived with this face for a long time now. Look at me.”

Rey looked him over. “What’s wrong with you?”

“You want me to catalogue my faults?”

“No, but I don’t see them.”

“You called me ‘nerd-boy,’” he reminded her.

“Because you’re a researcher trying to get someone to top you, you crazy man,” Rey said. “I mean, I guess the glasses are a bit nerdy. You could get contacts. But the rest of you is…uh, fine. Very fine.” She looked him up and down. “Tall, big, muscular… what’s not to love?”

Ben pulled Rey across his lap and kissed her soundly. “I’ll show you exactly what’s there to love.” He picked her up and carried her to his bed.

And she found herself tied to his headboard, naked, blindfolded, writhing under his tongue. He licked her everywhere, then nipped her when she moaned. His teeth were sharp, but he soothed the nips with soft licks.

He ate her out slowly, luxuriously, moaning into her cunt, and teasing her clit until she thought she would die.

“Beg, my little miss, beg me and I might let you come,” Ben breathed against her clit.

“Please, please, Ben, please.” 

He nipped her thigh. “Have you been good?”

“Yes, Ben.”

“Call me Toy.”

“Yes, Toy. I’ve been so good to you.”

“Will you let me inside you, Little Miss?”

Rey writhed. “Yes, please fuck me, Toy.”

He licked her again, tiny flicks.

She almost screamed. 

He flicked harder. The sensation built inside her. She would come so hard.

“Don’t stop, don’t stop, don’t stop,” she chanted, so afraid that he wouldn’t allow her to come.

He sucked her clit into his mouth, and she screamed at the onslaught. She came, harder than she’d ever done in her life. She reared up and bucked against his mouth. She tried to free her arms but couldn’t.

He held her down, still open wide and dripping.

“Don’t move,” he commanded.

She lay still. She couldn’t have moved if she wanted to.

She heard him rolling on a condom. Then he climbed on top of her and pushed himself inch by inch inside her, making them both cry out.

He fucked her slowly, withdrawing all the way, teasing her opening with his dick, and then plunging into her, sometimes fast, sometimes slow. He thumbed her clit. She met each of his thrusts, bumping herself against his thumb, until she came again.

She felt a little give in the necktie’s knot and yanked her hand free. Rey grabbed Ben’s hips and ran her hands all over his ass to pull him closer.

He moaned as she squeezed him and scratched his back gently. Then he rolled her on top.

“Top me, Miss,” he gasped. “Make me come.”

She set the pace while he held her hips and tossed his head back. When he came, he groaned deeply and thrust upward one last time.

They lay together, recovering.

“Top or bottom?” Rey asked, snuggling against him.

“Um,” he said, kissing her temple. “Both.”

Rey raised up on one elbow. “Isn’t that what it’s about, though? A balance of both?”

“Some people enjoy one or the other more,” Ben said.

“But it seems like you and I like the variety,” Rey mused. “We can do both without losing ourselves or following what society dictates as ‘masculine’ or ‘feminine’ behavior.”

He nuzzled her and murmured his agreement.

<>

A week later, after spending every night in Ben’s arms performing more “research,” Rey was called into her Department Chair’s office. She figured Dr. Revan Scott wanted to talk about scheduling for next term, but when she walked in, she saw Dr. Amilyn Holdo seated in a chair.

Dr. Scott invited her to have a seat. He got right to the point. “Dr. Holdo tells me you were involved in a fraud perpetrated on Dr. Benjamin Solo. I’ve reserved judgment in this matter until I hear your side of the story. Please tell us what happened.”

Rey stammered. “I… Gwen Connix asked me to help Dr. Solo with his ethnographic project. I was compensated for my time. Dr. Solo is aware of the situation. Have you spoken to him?”

“No,” Revan said.

Holdo said nothing.

“Dr. Holdo claims you weren’t authorized to participate in the research since you aren’t a member of the organization. The research has been deemed fraudulent. Dr. Solo does, in fact, know this. He informed Dr. Holdo of the situation.”

Rey didn’t know Ben had talked to Holdo. She sucked in a breath. It must have been before they worked it all out. No wonder he told her to be careful. He’d fucking ratted her out.

Rey’s stomach sank.

She chose her words with care. “You will find that Dr. Solo thinks differently now. He and I have been collaborating on an article based on his research. Please check with him.”

“Nevertheless,” Revan said. “The situation seems… to skirt the edge of ethical research.”

Holdo spoke up. “Gwen Connix was not empowered to use you as a representative of the organization—nor compensate you from the organization’s coffers. You and she conspired to misdirect Dr. Solo and render his research useless.”

“He doesn’t think that now,” Rey interrupted. “We’re working together. Gwen met with him. She offered him another…” She didn’t want to say “scene,” since she wasn’t sure how much Revan knew. “Uh, encounter with the population under investigation. In addition, he is doing participatory research.”

“Which he did with someone not in the organization,” Holdo concluded.

“That issue was dealt with,” Rey stated. “Gwen and I both signed the human subjects review contracts.”

“Not good enough,” Holdo said. “Anyway, even if Dr. Solo is satisfied…” her eyebrows quirked as she emphasized the word. Rey flushed. “with the results, it begs the question of original intent. To misdirect. Gwen should have said no to the research.”

“She felt she couldn’t,” Rey said, “given Ben’s, I mean, Dr. Solo’s, family connections.”

“Horse pucky,” Holdo said. “Leia Organa would never have pushed anything on the organization.” She paused and leaned forward. “Does Dr. Solo strike you as a man who allows his mother to pull strings?”

Rey had to admit that Holdo had a point. She blew out a breath and rubbed her forehead. “No.”

Holdo got up from her seat. “Well, then. My advice is that you stay in your lane, Dr. Johnson. Dr. Scott, a pleasure.” She shook Revan's hand and left.

Rey raised her eyes. “I don’t know what that was all about. I did a favor for a friend and Ben, I mean, Dr. Solo, is absolutely fine with the outcome.”

“His department isn’t fine with it,” Revan said. “And I’m not fine with it either. It’s unethical to pass yourself off as a member of an organization, even if you did it out of friendship and even if the researcher is now aware of it.”

Rey opened her mouth to speak.

Revan held up a hand to cut her off. “I understand that Dr. Solo isn’t angry about the situation now. However, he was at one time quite upset about it. That’s how Dr. Holdo got involved.”

Rey nodded. “I understand.”

“You will understand, too, that we can’t have you teaching for us in light of this situation. I’m sorry, but it’s not possible.”

Rey blinked back tears. “I understand that, too. My classes?”

“We will find someone to take over. Please clean out your belongings and hand over your keys by the end of today.”

Rey stumbled out of Revan's office, completely devastated. Her first thought was to grab her shit and run. Her second was to call Gwen. Her third… she balked at calling Ben. She didn’t want him to be involved. He’d told Holdo on her. He wasn’t trustworthy.

<>

Rey needed some time. She headed home with her things and holed up in her apartment, refusing to answer her phone. Gwen called. Ben did, too, and she ignored him. She ignored him again when he called—and when he texted.

She didn’t know what to say or what to tell him. Her trust in him was gone. Her confidence was shattered.

Rey didn’t bank on her nerdy boyfriend’s temper.

The banging started an hour after his last attempt to call. He stood at her door shouting for her to let him in.

“No,” Rey called. “No thanks.”

She heard huffing on the other end. “I swear to fuck, Rey Johnson, I will bash this fucking door in.”

“Don’t,” she said.

“Open it the fuck up.”

“Leave me alone,” she yelled. “Just leave me alone.”

He stood quietly. “What happened, babe?”

“Nothing,” she sobbed. “Nothing that you can do anything about. And I don’t want you here. So just go.”

“Fuck this,” he hollered.

She heard him bash his body against the door. He kicked it and it flew open, pieces of wood flying as the lock broke free.

Rey was on the floor by her couch, in a miserable ball. Ben crouched and picked her up. He sat on the couch with her in his lap, crooning to her, stroking her hair.

Rey beat at him and cried. Her whole world felt like it crashed around her.

Ben took her head between his hands and stroked her hair back. “Tell me,” he said, wiping her tears with his thumbs. “Tell me before I lose my fucking mind. Are you sick? Are you hurt? What?”

He scanned her face.

Rey sucked in a breath. “You fucking told on me. You told Holdo,” she shouted. “How could you? Even if you were mad, how could you? I’m out. They fucking fired me today.”

“I didn’t tell Holdo anything,” he gritted out. “I never said a word about what happened. I told you to be careful, remember?”

Rey glared at him. “Then how did she find out?”

“I don’t fucking know.” Ben stared off into space. He snapped his attention back to Rey. “Do you believe me?”

“Yes, I do,” she said softly.

She barely got the words out when he dumped her off his lap and stood. “Wait here,” he said.

As if she had somewhere else to go.

“I’ll fix your door, too,” he said as he left.

<>

Ben came back two hours later with a tool kit and drill. He fixed the door while Rey sat on the couch and watched. He didn’t say a word and neither did she.

When he was finished, he said, “You need a better door. If I can kick it in, so can someone else.”

Rey nodded at him.

Then he came and sat next to her. 

“Who told on me?” Rey asked.

“I did, by accident. I wrote an addendum to the Human Subjects Review consent form and requested another review. I had to state why I needed it and I used “Rey” instead of “Kira” because I wasn’t paying attention. Our administrative assistant gave the forms to Holdo instead of passing them directly to the committee. Holdo got suspicious and called Gwen, who in turn told Holdo the truth.” He put an arm around her and kissed her temple. “You’re also not fired, my love. Unless you want to be. Dr. Scott is reinstating you.”

“You shouldn’t have done that, Ben.”

“I didn’t do shit,” he said. “Holdo did. When she heard you’d been ousted, she was… uh, horrified. She talked to Revan herself. We didn’t protect your anonymity well enough.”

Rey narrowed her eyes. There was probably more to that story. Ben gave her a toothy smile at her suspicious look.

“I just told Holdo what happened, is all…”

“Why do I think there’s more to it?” Rey asked.

“Whatever do you mean?” Ben replied.

She jabbed his ribs. “Tell me what you did.”

He grabbed her hand. “I told Holdo the truth.”

“Which is?”

“The truth is the truth, Rey,” Ben said. “I told Holdo that I was angry when I found out what Gwen did, but she tried to fix it, and so I changed my project focus based on the research that I gathered. It happens sometimes.”

“And?” Rey crossed her arms over her chest.

“And…” Ben hesitated. “If they didn’t give you your job back, I’d quit and take my research and my reputation elsewhere. I hinted that my mother’s funding would go with me.”

Rey smacked him. “You didn’t. That’s not true.”

Ben raised his eyebrows. “You think not? You don’t know me very well, do you? I don’t make idle threats, Miss.”

Rey gaped at him. “You’d do that for me?”

He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers. “Absolutely. I’d do it for the woman I love. In a minute.” He paused. “I will protect you and you will allow me to do so. I’m your sub. It’s my job to keep my sweet, little Domme safe.”

Rey started to laugh. “I think that’s supposed to be the other way around. I’m supposed to protect you. Instead, you’re acting like the alpha male in this situation.”

“Damn right,” he said. “I am the fucking alpha male. Do you love me, Rey? Will you let me protect you and make you mine?”

She crawled on his lap. “Yes, I love you, Toy. But you’re still mine to do with as I please.”

“Own me, Miss. Come on and own me.”

<>

Rey and Ben spent their evenings making love and bashing out their first collaborative article based on their research. Their subsequent book, _Finding Balance in Heterosexual Relationships_ , shifted Rey’s status from adjunct instructor to assistant professor. She was able to demonstrate her scholarly work in partnership with Dr. Benjamin Organa Solo when she applied for the next open faculty position. Some might argue that it was nepotism that netted her the job, but she didn’t care. Her work spoke for itself.

Dr. Holdo herself wrote an introduction for Rey’s next book, exclaiming over its insights into modern romantic tropes in fictional and real-life relationships.

When _Finding Balance_ was scheduled for a reprint, the publisher received a call from their most prestigious client, Dr. Benjamin Solo, requesting a name change.

“It’s Dr. Rey Johnson Solo. Make sure it’s changed on the reprint.”

“Certainly, Dr. Solo, we’ll see to it immediately. Please give your wife our best regards.”


End file.
